The Harrogate Advertiser claims that Harrogate Borough Council has earmarked £100,000 for putting together a business case for the redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre. The tender follows calls for a review of the centre by Harrogate Borough Council, which appears to be considering a similar strategy as implemented at The NEC and at the SEC in Scotland of designing a wider ‘events complex’.
The budget, the newspaper says, has been put out to tender by the council for production of plans and how it could be delivered at the King’s Road site.
Leader of HBC, Councillor Richard Cooper has said the move was to ‘future proof’ the centre’s place within the conference and exhibition sector.
He said: “We are future proofing the convention centre so as trends within exhibitions and conferences develop we do not lose out.”
Cooper says the convention centre brings in £60m a year: “ We are making sure that money keeps on ringing through the tills of the town’s hotels, restaurants and other businesses. To keep this in place makes good and sound sense.”
Bidding for the funds closes on 13 November.
